Line-spacing mechanism for type-writers.



UNITED STATES PATENT GFFTQE.

GEORGE A. SMITH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF SIXTEEN ONE-HUNDRED-ND- FOURTHS TO JAMES W. HENNESSEY, OF RICHMDND, NEW YORK, FORTY-SIX ONE- HUNDRED-AND-FOURTHS TO ARTHUR LETTS, F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, AND TWENTY- ONE ONE-HUNDRED-AND-FOURTHS T0 FREDERICK H. WARD, OF BRGDK- LYN, NEW YORK.

LINE-SPACING MECHANISM FOR TYPE-WRITERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 22, 1908.

Patented Got. 5, 1909. serial No. 428,486.

useful Improvements in Line-Spacing Mech` :mism fonType-Writers, of which the following is a, specification.

My invention relates to line-spacers for typewriters, and particularly to those spacers used in connection with a horizontal cylindrical platen mounted y carriage adapted to be shifted and to be intermittently revolved to effect the spacing between the lines. y

'The objectof my device is to supplant the customary shifting lever, which hangs down'over the keyboard, with a more simple andco1 7enient arrangement whereby the manual ower exerted to shift the platen and its carriage will simultaneously give the platen a partial rotation to advance the paper and make a space for a new line.

The vstems or shafts y ,sleeve g made integral y i which is Vfastened over the end of the platen And to this end my lnvention consists in the peculiar features and combination of parts more fullyv described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a front elevation of an ordinary typewriter equipped with my improved line spacing mechanism, Fig. 2 representsa longitudinal section through the platen, Figs. 3 and --.are end views of the ratchet mechanism through line 3, 3 and 4, 4, and Fig. 5, a detail. view of a pin and slot device'employed for converting the rectilinear motion which shifts the carriage, into the rotary motion which turns the platen and spaces the lines.

The carriage z is mounted to travel on the top of a common form of typewriter frame, such as b. A rovoluble platen c is suspended .to rotate in the upright arms cl of the oarriage, fthe latter being provided with an upward extension forming a handle d.

e, e represent handles or manipulating knobsat the opposite sides of the'carriage. ,.f of theseknobs form thel journals and axis of the platen. The stem f of the right-hand knob passes into a with a ratchet 'disk g on a reciprocatingl means of a ratchet oa'nd a cylinder 71., by screws z', said stem f being fixed in the sleeve g by a set screw also that it will revolve the platen `independently of the opposite stem. The stem f' of the 'lefthand manipulating knob consists of a. long` cylindrical rod whlch extends longitudinally through the platen cylinder into the end of the sleeve g which forms a support for it. This left-hand knob e and its stem do not revolve, the stem being allowed to move longitudinally or endwise only. The means for preventing such revolution consists of an arm Z fixed to the stem and engaged by a horizontal pin Z which enters an open slot Z2. In shifting the4 carriage from left to right, as in the act of spacing to begin a new line, the endwise pressure brought to bearupon the knob e is resisted by the feedingstrap a', but moves the knob and its stem longitudinally in relation tothe platen andat the same time revolves the platen axially through the medium of a pin m projecting from the side of the stem into a curved slot m in a hollow shaft a surrounding the stem. This imparts a rotary motion to the hollow shaft and turns the platen by pawl o pivoted on the end of an upwardly projecting arm p fixed to turn with the hollow shaft by a sleeve p. The throw of the pawl may be limited to make double or single line spacing by a downwardly projecting arm p2 and removablev pin p3 adapted to be set in any one of a series of holes p4. lVhen the lower arm p2 strikes the pin p3, all the power of the hand comes upon the carria e to overcome the power of the feeding mec anism. Antifriction bearings g surround the sliding stern and reduce the frictional surface. A retracting spring r encircles the stem, with one end ofthe spring attached to sleeve g, and the other end to thehollow shaft n, which rotates the platen.

It will be seen that the platen can ibe rotated independently of the left-hand knob e by working the right-hand knob e', the two stems being separated. I

The spacing between the lines can be regulated to three ditl'erent widths corresponding to the threeholes p4 in the supporting arms for the lplaten. Whenever the operator presses a ainst the left-hand knob with gitudinal rock-shaft extendin'g 'from the in-' the hand to shift the carriage,.such pressure will move the knob and its ,stem inward, forcing the pin against the wall of the curved slot in the hollow shaft, thereby ro# i e hollow shaft and draws the pawl o back for a new purchase.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a line spacing mechanism for typewriters and in combination with tlieusnal carriage, a revolublehollow platen, a lonside to the outside of the platen, means connected with the outside portion of said shaft for rotating the laten intermittently, a

nolrrotary lon tu inally movable shaft ex-v tending into t e platen .and connected to turn the longitudinal rocizshafaland hence the platen from the outside thereof, and a;

retracting spring located Within the platen.

2. In a line spacing mechanism for typewriters andin combination with a hollow platen, a non-rotatable longitudinally movable stem or shaft extending into the platen, a retr'acting spring for said shaft, a hollow rock-shaft containing the non-rotatable shaft, a cam and slot connection between the two shafts, whereby one when moved end- Wise rotates the other and hence the platen, pawl and ratchet .mechanism connecting the rock-shaft with the platen, and means for 4regulating' the throw of the pawl.

3." In a line spacing device for typewriters, the combination with a traveling carriage, carrying a revoluble hollow platen, of a rotatable hollow shaft extending into said platen, a longitudinal n0n-rotatable shaft extending throughthe hollow shaft, a non-rotatable manipulating knob or handle on the longitudinal shaft and being adapted to move sidewise therewith, means connected therewith for rotating the platen Whentheknobis moved sidewise towardv the platen, said means including a pawl and ratchet, and means for adjusting' the throw of the pawl to regulate the spacing effected bythe revolution of the platen.

Signed at New York city, this 6th. day

of April, 1908.

. GEORGE A. SMITH'. yWitnesses: I v

Kleiman CoNnoN,

C. li. Schuurman. 

